While the local fasteners industry has experienced a “downfall”, the proposed increase in government spend on power generation points to an upswing during the course of 2019, with this holding significant opportunities for technical solutions provider BMG’s portfolio of fastener products, says fastener business unit manager Maryna Werner.

She notes that BMG is one of the largest distributors of fasteners in Africa; with this business being a “natural fit” to the company’s engineering consumables product offering.

The company has been active in the fasteners market since 2005 and its range of fasteners includes bolts and nuts, threaded rods, washers, rivets, sockets screws, anchors, and screw products.

Nord-Lock Portfolio

Werner acclaims that BMG boasts “a comprehensive portfolio of Nord-Lock fastening products”, highlighting the Nord-Lock washers as an example that offers a solution to loosening nuts in an application where there is vibration, and for which BMG is the sole distributor in Africa.

These products are ideal for applications where there is friction and the loosening of nuts are a problem or a safety risk. In this vein, BMG’s biggest market for these products has been the construction and mining industries, as these industries are particularly susceptible to loosening and friction.

Werner enthuses that these washers provide cost savings on maintenance, and improve safety.

She indicates that the biggest challenge experienced in supplying these products to industry has been end-users objecting to the price difference between standard flat washers and these specialised washers. To increase understanding, BMG provides a cost-saving analogy in comparison with maintenance costs.

BMG has been offering the Nord-Lock bolt securing products to market since April 2005. Werner notes that they are manufactured under the highest quality controls and, further offer traceability-trough, laser engraved batch numbers on each product.

Moreover, BMG supplies Nord-Lock Superbolt multi-jackbolt tensioners, which offer “innovative technology” for tightening bolts and nuts. Werner avers that this is “an accurate and effective tightening system”, without requiring heavy/hydraulic equipment.

Another notable product from the Nord-Lock portfolio is the robust wheel nut, which is designed to safely secure wheel joints on both on-road and heavy-duty vehicles, even under severe conditions.

Werner explains that safe wheel assemblies rely on a high clamp load. A loss of clamp load leads to movement between the clamped part in the joint, which causes rotation and loosening of the wheel nut. This ultimately results in unbalanced wheels and wheel detachments, which she warns is dangerous and costly.

She further explains that conventional wheel nuts lack a locking function and are therefore susceptible to rotating loose, especially on poor road conditions, as a result of high vehicle speed, inadequate tightening technologies and joint relaxation, as well as thermal expansion and contraction of wheel bolts.

Therefore, the Nord-Lock wheel nuts, which use tension, instead of friction, to secure bolted joints, offer a “reliable solution” to wheel nut loosening, Werner says. This system does not rotate loose, and it safely secures the wheel joints on roads and in harsh off-road operating conditions, she acclaims.

“This reliable system not only prevents accidents, personal injury and property damage, but also avoids unnecessary costs that result from unbalanced wheels, increased tyre wear and spare parts replacement.”

While Nord-Lock wheel nuts are reusable, BMG recommends that nuts and wheel studs be inspected before reuse to ensure that the threads are free from particles and are undamaged.

The wheel nuts are manufactured from high-quality steel, and are prelubricated to ensure uniform friction and accurate preload during tightening. This lubrication further prevents corrosion, thereby extending the service life of wheel studs.

Werner warns that there are many copies of Nord-Lock’s products available to the market, which are not providing the proven results, and could cause “devastating” results.